Process of treating leather



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK RIEGERT, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

PROCESS OFTREATING LEATHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 467,200, dated January19, 1892.

Application filed April 24, 1891. Serial No. 390,354. (No specimens.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK RIEGERT, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes ofTreating Leather; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a process of treating leather so as torenderit perfectly waterproof; and it has for its object to expeditesuch process and to impart pliability and flexibility to the leathertreated, so that it may be conveniently handled While beingmanufactured'into boots, shoes, or other articles.

In carrying out my process I take a piece of leather, and after cleaningthe same by any known or common method, so as to render it free of allimpurities and then allowing it to dry, I subject such leather to theaction of heat, so as to throw open as much as possible all of the poresof the leather. I then take dissolved rubber, known as Brazilian gum, ina liquid or semi-liquid state,and bymeans of a brush or other suitabledevice apply it to the side of the leather which is intended for theinside of the article to be manufactured, and care should be taken tothoroughly rub such dissolved rubber into the leather, so that the poresmay be filled and absorb the rubber. I then take a cloth, brush, orother suitable article and apply fish-oil or other suitable oil to theleather thus treated and thoroughly rub the same while applying it,

after which the leather is allowed to dry, and when dry I apply asuitable quantity of powdered soapstone to the leather and rubthe samein by means of the hand, a cloth, or other suitable article. I havefound that leather thus treated is thoroughly water-proof and imperviousto moisture, and by reason of its being flexible and pliable it isrendered very convenient to handle in working it into articles ofmanufacture.

I am aware that it has heretofore been proposed to render leatherwater-proof by applying thereto a composition consisting of cotton-seedor cod-fish oil, caoutchouc, cocoanut, pomegranaterind, and an aromatic,which have been prepared and applied by a long and tedious process, andI therefore do not wish to be understood as claiming such composition;but,

Having described my invention, what I claim is- The improved processdescribed of rendering leather pliable and Water-proof, consisting,first, in cleaning the leather, then allowing the same to dry, thenheating the leather so as to open its pores, then applying dissolvedrubber or Brazilian gum in a liquid or fluid state to the heatedleather, then applying fish-oil or other oil thereto, and finallyrubbing powdered soapstone to the leather thus treated, substantially asspecified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnessesFREDERICK RIEGERT.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH KNEAU, ADOLPHE HENRY.

